TOTAL FLIGHTS IN Irish airspace increased by 0.50 per cent last month when compared to October 2011, according to the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).

There was an average of 1,450 daily flights during October 2012, with the busiest day being 19 October with 1,685 flights in Irish airspace.

In relation to international arrivals and departures, the commercial terminal traffic for Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports increased significantly by +6.9 per cent in October 2012, when compared to October 2011.

Traffic

This growth in international arrivals and departures was largely driven by traffic increases in Dublin and Cork, the IAA said. This is the third month in a row that it has observed continued growth in this sector of traffic, which it said is primarily being driven by a significant rise in international arrivals and departures at Dublin Airport.

The October 2012 figures for commercial terminal flights at the three State airports, when compared to the same month in the previous year are:

• Dublin up by 10.5 per cent, with an average of 470 daily movements.
• Cork up by 1.5 per cent, with an average of 60 daily movements.
• Shannon down 12.9 per cent, with an average of 50 daily movements.

There was a decrease of 2.50 per cent in Ireland’s en-route traffic movements (flights which pass through Irish airspace but do not land) during October 2012, in comparison to October 2011. Flights to and from Europe and North America saw a decrease of 3.54 per cent in October 2012, when compared to October 2011.

On a cumulative basis, the growth in en-route traffic movements and North Atlantic Communications flights for January to October 2012, compared to the same period last year, was +0.20 per cent and -0.72 per cent respectively.

The growth in Irish air traffic goes against the European trend. Flights within Europe have continued to decrease compared to 2011, with an average decline of 2 per cent since the beginning of the year, said the IAA.

Read: Increase in Irish air traffic last month>